NEPPFA opposes transportation of pigs from Punjab & Haryana

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The North East Progressive Pig Farmers' Association (NEPPFA) has urged Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries to withdraw the permission allowing transportation of pigs from Punjab and Haryana to the north-eastern (NE) States.

The association, in its letter to the Union Minister, stated that on April 29, ICAR-NIHSAD Bhopal confirmed the presence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in samples taken from a few locations in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. After that, the State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (AHVD) laid down a set of protocols prohibiting the inter-district movement of pigs and pork products across Assam and also among the NE States. Consequently, the other NE States also followed the same strategy and prohibited transport of pigs from outside the States.

It further stated that a letter has been issued by Upamanyu Basu, Joint Secretary to the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy (D.O. No. R-99014/9/2020) addressed to the Principal Secretaries/Secretaries (AHD) of Haryana, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. This letter while making them "aware" of the "unusual mortality of pigs'' has allowed movement of pigs from the States of Haryana and Punjab to the north-eastern States in the name of 'food security' even though pig movement is banned inter-district and also inter-State due to the ongoing ASF situation through various orders passed by the State government since April 25.

The NEPPFA said that the entire pig industry of India will be at threat if the movement of pigs from Punjab and Haryana to the NE States is allowed at this time.

"Vehicles transporting the animals on their onward and return journeys will pass through multiple affected areas in Assam. It will have the potential to carry the extremely virulent African Swine Fever virus from Assam to other States of the NE — some of which are still ASF-free and hence exposing them to this risk which will lead to same fate of their entire pig population like Assam and Arunachal. Not only just the other NE States but it is also a potential threat to the entire country as it has the capacity to transmit through many unknown carriers," the NEPPFA underlined.

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